"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from youselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do " (Eph. 2:8,9).

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Khorkina of Great Britain...

Elizabeth Tweddle has been one to watch over the past decade, now at the age of 25, she has proven that she is still one to keep a close eye on. Not to mention, her routines are considerably harder, more artistic and original than they've ever been! Most gymnasts fade out by their late teens or early twenties, Tweddle on the other hand seems to have become increasingly more fantastic as the years pass. Her most recent performance at the 2010 European Championships in Birmingham, showcased signs that the code may in fact be improving.

Her floor routine is highlighted with a double arabian piked immediately connected with a lovely split jump! All of her passes are of high difficulty but I was completely mesmerized by her last pass. Even after the first two difficult passes and some high valued dance skills strung through out the routine, she managed to have more than enough endurance to end with a back 2 1/2 twist, punch front full into an immediate sisson! I really love how the new code highlights jumps out of tumbling! Especially when it is performed so beautifully as Tweddle makes her dance elements look. The crowd loved the routine as well, clapping to the beat as she began her tumbling sequences and cheering loudly as she finished her final pass. She not only won that event but then went on to perform an enchanting and likewise very original and artistic bar routine which highlighted a bit of Khorkina's magical style and flair.

Tweddle began with a very difficult combination of heely right into a sky high khorkina connected with a lovely gienger. She then performed two incredible tkatchev releases from a toe-on. The first piked, and the second straddled and then caught with hands crossed into reverse grip, (Pheobe Mills is the first one I have ever seen perform a tkatchev catch like that of Tweddle's), and that led to an immediate release to low bar which looked like a straddle back half. (Nicoleta Daniela Sofronie is the only gymnast I've seen perform this skill). The difficulty doesn't end there though. Tweddle then goes into a toe-hand connecting it into another Khorkina styled skill to high bar, also performed from a toe-on instead of a clear hip as Khorkina first unveiled the move from. Tweddle then ends the routine with a stuck full-out from an immediate cast handstand. The same dismount, I believe, that Khorkina used. Not only was the routine packed with unbelievably original and difficult skills but likewise, every cast handstand was hit right on top and each skill was done flawlessly! Her form was perfect from her toe-point to her legs tightly glued together.